CHAPTER XIV.

A REVELATION-A LOVER'S REMONSTRANCE AND THE LADY'S REPLY.

O wine thou art a "good familiar creature," but thou cannot always dispel care! Ernest and Danvers sat opposite one another at a table covered with bottles and glasses. Both had evidently drank freely, but the wine had taken a very unequal effect on both. Ernest showed no symptoms of conviviality, his face was pale as death, his eyes blood-shot, and his manner varied alternately from fits of moody silence to a wreckless humour, extravagant, and startling from its vehemence. Danvers was evidently in that happy state when a man likes to unbosom himself to his friend. He had already told Ernest half-a-dozen times in confidence, that he loved Miss Saunders, that he felt pretty sure Miss Saunders loved him, that he had been on the point of proposing several times

but always thought it better to postpone it. Somehow he felt particularly confident to-night. It was a pity to put it off-he felt such a flow of ideas, such courage. Thus he ran on about Miss Saunders's beauty and accomplishments, pointing out a thousand little feminine airs and graces, quite ignorant of the torture he inflicted upon Ernest, whenever the latter was not so absorbed in his own reflections as to listen to him.

"I don't ask you why you are so low, Ernest, for you told me that you felt hipped to-night and that you would be wretched company, but I do wish you would cheer up a bit, I have seen you infinitely more lively on the strength of a single glass of punch, and all that you have taken to-night seems to have no effect whatever. It is a sin to keep such a grave face over such good liquor; which will you take, wine or brandy."

66

Brandy," said Ernest, as he poured a goodly portion of the liquor into his tumbler, qualifying it with very little water.

"Well that is a stiff one, you must have a strong head Basil," continued Danvers. "Did you ever know two people give the same cause for drinking a glass of grog. Some drink for good fellowship, because they are in company; others because they are lonely; some must have a dram to raise their spirits, others must have one because they are in such good spirits already. Some like a drop of something short and hot,' because it's cold, others like a drop of something cooling because it's so warm, some think a glass will do them good, and others say it will do them no harm, some take it as a medicine, others as a cordial, some as a strengthener, some to make them fat, others to make them thin; some take it moderately on principle, others immoderately without; some because their fathers did so before them; some because it is not forbidden; others because it is, some take it as a necessary stimulus; others to keep the cold out of the stomach, but nobody, strange drinks because he likes it."

་

to say,

Come," said Ernest with a suddenness

which made Danvers start, "I will shake off

this melancholy. To prove I'm in earnest, here's a song for you. And he sung in a voice which had melody in it and with a sort of fierce energy, the following lines of Byron

"Fill the goblet again, for I never before,

Felt the glow which now gladdens my heart to its core.
Let us drink, who would not, since thro' life's varied round,
In the goblet alone no deception is found.

I have tried in its turn all that life can supply,

I have basked in the beam of a dark rolling eye;

I have loved-who has not, but what heart's can declare,
That pleasure existed while passion was there.

In the days of my youth when the heart in its spring,

And dreams that affection can never take wing;

I had friends-who has not-but what tongue will avow,
That friends, rosy wine, were as faithful as thou.

The heart of a mistress some boy may estrange,

Friendship shifts like the sunbeam-thou never cans't change; Thou grow'st old, who does not-but on earth what appears, Whose virtues like thine still increase with its years."

well

"Thank you," said Danvers" and very sung, but do you know your eye looked so wild that I almost like you better in your quiet mood, than when you seem to make such an effort to be gay. I'll give you a more sentimental one than that." The song which he sung happened to be a favourite one of Miss Fairweather's, and often had Ernest heard her sing it.

Ernest sat with his face covered with his hands, as the song proceeded the tears forced themselves through his fingers, and in spite of all efforts at restraint, his chest began to heave with convulsive sobs.

"Come," said Danvers, breaking off abruptly, "it is late, let us go." and the two young men sallied out presently arm in arm.

They had not advanced far up Grafton street, when they found the pavement occupied by a small crowd which even at that hour, had gathered round an unfortunate female who seemed to be dying.

"Stand awa frae round the lassie.-Rin for a doctor-tak her to the hospital,"-- and sundry other suggestions were thrown out in quick succession, but no one moved, and, but for the opportune interference of Ernest and Danvers, the sufferer would have probably perished on the spot.

She was young and too well dressed to leave any doubts as to the nature of her livelihood, and appeared in the last stage of a consump